"Answer the fucking question Clara"Alex Banks yelled and slammed the table. Clara couldn't hold back her tears anymore and sobbed loudly. Alex Banks looked at her,this was his first time seeing Clara cry. He felt a sharp pain in his chest. "I,I don't want to do this anymore please"Clara pleaded and cried more. "Is it because of what my mother said to you?" Alex Banks asked again. Clara wasn't telling him something. "Did someone else threaten you?"Alex asked. He walked closer to Clara and wiped off her tears. Clara remembered Anna Banks words and pushed Alex's arm away. There was a moment of silence between the two for a few minutes. "So what if I like you,it doesn't change anything " Clara was frustrated already. Alex Banks held his chest and groaned in pain. "Alex what's wrong with you?"Clara asked worriedly as she saw Alex Banks in pain. Alex brought out a pill box and took a pill. Clara poured Alex a glass of water and gave him. He was sweating profusely
Clara stayed with Alex Banks through out till evening. She left when he had fallen asleep. She wanted to pick a few things at home. On her way back, she bumped into Jeremy. "Could my day get any better?"Jeremy said and pulled Clara to a corner. "What do you want from me?Let me go" Clara yelled as she tried to break free but Jeremy's grip was too strong. She bit his arm hard, drawing blood from it. Jeremy released her and looked at the spot she bit him. Jeremy slapped Clara across the face and slammed her to the wall. Clara yelped in pain. Her lips was bleeding and her arm was brushed by this monster. "Do you think you can fuck with me because that son of bitch kept you by his side. He doesn't love you,he's just using you"Jeremy said. "Don't talk about my boyfriend like that, he's not using me and he loves me and at least he's not a loser like you"Clara said. Her words provoked Jeremy deeply. "Clara, just come back to me..." Before Jeremy could finish, Clara spa
"She went home to grab something"Kevin said. "Do you need anything?"Kevin asked. "I don't need anything so get out"Alex Banks said. Kevin felt disheartened, "You shouldn't speak to him like that"Clara said as she walked in. Kevin's face lit up,at least someone spoke up for him. "Good morning, Clara. How was your night?"Kevin asked. "Get out of her now"Alex Banks said coldly. how dare him play coy with his girlfriend. Alex Banks saw the smile on his face and frowned." How dare you smile at my girl? Do you want to get fired" Alex Banks threatened."No sir,I apologize" Kevin said with a hint of sarcasm. Alex Banks looked at Clara and noticed she was wearing a scarf around her neck which was unusual. "What's up with the scarf, remove it. It doesn't look good on you "Alex Banks said. "I think it looks great on me"Clara said, she was standing at a distance. "Come and sit beside me " Alex Banks said. Clara walked forward and sat down on the bed. "What happened to
I'm sorry sir" Kevin apologized. "I didn't want to disturb you" he added and gave the laptop to Alex. Alex watched the footage clearly. "It was Zen , the head bodyguard. He pushed Clara into the water" Kevin explained quickly. "Send some guys to take him in for interrogation" Alex said and closed the laptop. "Well,he ran away" Kevin said and took few steps backward. "What do you he ran away? Can't you watch just one guy" Alex Banks screamed in anger. "Our men are already searching for him. He'll be caught in no time." Kevin said. "Once you find him, bring him to me" Alex Banks said and left the room. ****** Clara walked down the dark alley. She kept on looking back suspecting that someone was stalking her. Clara feeling uneasy, quickened her footsteps. She took out her phone from her bag to call Avi. Suddenly, someone hit the back of her head with a bat. She staggered and turned to see who the person was,but before she could do anything she fell and passed out. ****** Clar
"Why was he killed?"Clara asked. If he was killed then she wasn't safe either. She couldn't trust Alex anymore. "He was silenced by the person who paid him to push you" Kevin explained calmly. "If he was killed, who attacked Clara a while ago" Avi asked, she was trying to put the scattered puzzle pieces in her head together. "It was Jeremy who attacked you, I've sent the police to arrest him so you don't have to worry" Kevin said and left the room. Avi quickly followed behind him. Alex squatted beside the worried Clara, "Babe,do you trust me. I need you to trust me, I'll find whoever is behind this. I promise you" He kissed her lips and hugged her. "You should go home now, it's getting really late" Clara said. "I'll stay with you tonight, I'll watch you sleep " Alex insisted. "You were just discharged from the hospital today, you need to rest and take care of yourself. Don't worry about me " Clara said. Alex reluctantly agreed and left after kissing her goodbye. ****** A
Alex Banks walked out of the warehouse and rested his back on the car. He took out a cigarette and lit it. "Take him to a safe house till you find whoever is behind this. Make sure nothing happens to him, we'll finish him off once this is over" Alex Banks said and puffed out smoke. "We'll take care of it boss" Kevin said and leaned his back against the car. "Care for a smoke" Alex Banks said , handing a cigarette to him. "No,thank you. I quit smoking a long time ago, how about we go for a drink" Kevin suggested. "You want to have a drink with your boss,can you hold you liquor?" Alex Banks said with a mocking tone. "I have a high tolerance for alcohol, it's you who should be worried" Kevin teased and got into the car. ************ Clara got out of bed and stretched lazily. She walked downstairs in her pink pyjamas. She walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, she took a bottle of water and closed it. She saw a note on the refrigerator and she picked it, "I
"You're the only girl in my life, I know that we started this as a deal,but I asked you to be my woman because I like you. I've always had my eyes on you since the time you were dating Jeremy" Alex Banks said. Clara could see that he was being very sincere. She didn't want to do this before because she felt that they weren't on the same class. Since Alex Banks had the attack, she didn't know what to think anymore. What she felt for him was probably pity. "Alex Banks, I'll need you to give me time to think about this" Clara said. "I don't have much time, Clara" "What do you mean by that,are you going to die?" Clara asked looking bewildered. "That's not what I mean, I'm not dying. I want us to get married" Alex said and hugged her waist, pulling her closer to his chest. "I'll give you time to think about it" He said and took off his shirt. Clara looked at his bare body and her cheeks turned red. She swallowed hard , trying to resist touching him. "I worked on my abs just to im
Clara entered the restaurant and sat by the window. She received a call from her director,so they decided to meet at the restaurant. Clara ordered a glass of juice, she sipped the juice while waiting for the director. Thirty minutes past and she was not here yet,Clara took out her phone to call her and saw that she had sent her a message. "I won't be able to make it today. Something came up, I'm so sorry" She had sent the message thirty minutes ago. Clara sighed and picked up her bag. "Clara" A young girl called out to her and ran towards her. She took a seat and sat opposite her. "Oh my God,I can't believe that I'll run into you here of all places" She said excitedly. "Who are you?" Clara asked with a surprised look on her face. "I'm Quinn, I've been wanting to talk to you" She said and smiled. "How do you know me?" Clara asked. The girl didn't look suspicious, she looked like a sweet and naive girl . "I'm one of Alex's ex girlfriends" Quinn introduced herself proudly. "Ooh,
Chapter 80: The Choice That Awaits.The next morning arrived with an unsettling calm. Clara woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window, the early light streaming through the curtains and painting the room in soft hues of gold. She turned over in bed, her mind clouded with the weight of everything that had been happening lately. The emotional rollercoaster with Alex, the growing distance between them, and the constant pull of Maddox’s words—it was all so much to handle.She lay there for a moment, eyes closed, allowing the silence to wash over her. But soon, the reality of the situation crept back in. The unease she’d felt for days hadn’t gone away. In fact, it had only deepened.Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. She reached over to grab it, her heart skipping when she saw the name on the screen. It was Alex.---The Message:"Clara, I need to see you. We need to talk. Can you meet me for lunch today? I want to fix things."---Clara stared at the message
Chapter 79: The Tension Beneath the Surface.The morning sun crept through the large windows of the penthouse, casting long beams of light across the plush furniture and sleek lines of the modern living room. Clara stood by the window, coffee cup in hand, her eyes tracing the skyline as her thoughts swirled. The city beneath her was buzzing, alive with the energy of a new day, but Clara felt an unease she couldn’t shake. Her mind kept returning to the conversation she had with Maddox the day before. His words lingered, like a shadow in the back of her mind, refusing to fade.She didn’t want to admit it, but his words had gotten under her skin.Was Alex really as committed as he seemed?Clara had always trusted him—had always believed in their bond—but after hearing Maddox speak so convincingly, she found herself questioning things she never thought to question before. Maybe it was the way Maddox had spoken to her, so calmly, so assuredly. He’d known just what to say to plant that seed
Chapter 78: The Unraveling GameThe city below stretched out in a tapestry of glittering lights, the night sky obscured by the towering buildings that seemed to touch the heavens. Inside the sleek, modern office, the cold glow from the windows cast long shadows on the polished floor. Maddox leaned back in his chair, the quiet hum of the air conditioning the only sound in the otherwise silent room. His eyes were fixed on the files spread out before him, each one representing another calculated move in a game that had been years in the making.Maddox had always prided himself on his ability to stay three steps ahead of his competitors. His rise in the business world had been relentless, driven by an insatiable hunger for power and control. But there was one thing—one person—that had always eluded him: Alex Banks. The man who had everything, the empire that seemed untouchable, and the woman who had stirred something in Maddox’s heart that he thought was long buried. Clara.He could almos
Chapter 77: New BeginningsThe morning after their tentative reconciliation was nothing like Clara had expected. She woke up to the sound of rain tapping against the windows, soft and steady, as though the world outside was breathing in sync with her own conflicted heart.She had expected the night to weigh heavily on her mind, but instead, there was a strange sense of calm. Alex’s words, his touch, his promise—everything lingered in the quiet of the room, a soft warmth that eased the tension that had built up between them over the past weeks.As she sat up in bed, her gaze wandered to the half-empty space beside her. Alex was gone, but it wasn’t the absence she feared. It was the quiet certainty that he was still there, in the sense that he hadn’t left her, and that, despite everything, she hadn’t left him either.She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock. It was still early, too early for business, too early for anyone to be stirring in the office. But there was something about t
Chapter 76: Unraveling TensionsThe moonlit night had barely settled when Clara entered the penthouse, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. The sounds of the gala still echoed in her ears—the laughter, the clinking of glasses, the hum of conversations. But as she closed the door behind her, the buzz of the outside world seemed to vanish. Inside, everything was still. Everything was charged.Alex sat on the edge of the leather couch, his sharp silhouette outlined by the dim glow from the chandelier. His jacket was discarded, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, exposing the tension in his posture. He looked like a man at war with himself. But Clara wasn’t sure if it was with her or with something deeper.Her gaze flickered toward the empty space beside him on the couch. “You’re here,” she said quietly, her voice more unsure than she intended.Alex didn’t answer right away. He was staring at his hands, his fingers moving as if he were mentally organiz
Chapter 75 — The Gala: Unmasking the ShadowsThe grand ballroom was a spectacle of shimmering lights and glimmering elegance, a stark contrast to the dark thoughts that plagued Clara's mind. The night of the gala had finally arrived, and despite Alex’s reassurances, she couldn’t shake the unease that clung to her. She had seen it in his eyes—his quiet determination that he was shielding her from something, but tonight, she was all too aware that the world around them was watching.She and Alex had arrived earlier in the evening, gliding through the crowd, their presence magnetic. Every eye turned when they entered—Clara in her silver gown that caught the light with every movement, Alex in his sharp black tuxedo, a man of power and control. Together, they were a force, a perfect picture of wealth and status.But despite the beauty surrounding her, Clara’s mind kept wandering back to the small, almost imperceptible gestures she had picked up over the past few days. Alex’s phone calls th
Chapter 74 — Shifting SandsThe night was quiet, an eerie calm that felt almost unnatural after the whirlwind of the past few weeks. Inside the penthouse, the gentle hum of the city below seemed to fade, leaving only the low, rhythmic sound of Alex's breathing as he lay in bed beside Clara.Clara’s fingers traced slow circles on his chest, her mind wandering despite the quiet peace between them. The gala loomed just days away, but tonight felt like a moment to pause, to let the world slip away for just a few hours.Alex's hand found hers, intertwining their fingers, as if sensing the shift in her mood. His touch was warm, reassuring. "You’re thinking too much," he murmured.Clara smiled softly, but there was an edge of something darker in her expression. "I just... I’m wondering how we got here."Alex raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a small, knowing smile. "You mean to say, how you ended up in bed with a billionaire who has a penchant for being overprotective?"Clara laughed,
Chapter 73 — A Whisper in the CrowdThe soft melody of jazz floated through the upscale boutique as Clara ran her fingers lightly over the racks of shimmering dresses.The gala was only days away, and despite Ivy’s enthusiastic insistence that she would find something perfect, Clara still felt a little out of place surrounded by the glittering fabrics and luxury labels.Ivy trailed after her, arms full of selections she deemed "absolutely necessary to try on.""Come on, Miss Vale," Ivy teased, holding up a deep green gown that looked like it belonged on the red carpet. "You’ll be the most beautiful woman there."Clara laughed lightly, but her heart warmed at Ivy’s earnestness."I think you’re a little biased," Clara said, taking the gown and heading for the dressing room.As she disappeared behind the heavy velvet curtain, Ivy lingered near the mirrors, flipping absently through her phone.The boutique’s front door chimed softly.Two sharply dressed men entered — neither looked like t
Chapter 71 — Shadows from the PastThe morning sun flooded through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, casting golden light over the world Alex Banks and Clara Vale were slowly rebuilding. The scent of fresh coffee drifted through the air, and soft music played in the background — the quiet, beautiful rhythm of a life Clara never thought she’d have.She stood by the kitchen island, still in her silk robe, stirring her coffee absently. Her mind was elsewhere — half on the chapter she was writing, half on the way Alex had seemed... distracted lately.Nothing overt. Nothing she could accuse him of.But Clara could feel it — the slight pauses, the way his eyes sometimes drifted toward the window like he was searching for something unseen.“Hey, dreamer,” Alex said, walking in, crisp and magnetic in his dark grey suit. He kissed her cheek, lingering for a second longer than usual, like grounding himself.“You’re late,” Clara teased, nudging him playfully.Alex chuckled lowly. “I